Always
by Kaasuten
Summary: This is a sequel to Forever. Life had not prepared him for living without Kaoru. He was not ready to watch as his friends healed and moved on with their lives while he was stuck behind... falling. Life had not prepared him to be his own person. He was not willing to let go of the only person in life who had ever really understood him... and he definitely was not prepared for her.
1. Chapter 1

**ADVISORY:** This is a sequel to the story "Forever" that can be found by clicking the link below:

s/3671452/1/Forever

Please make sure you read through "Forever" before attempting to read "Always" as a lot of it will not make sense if you don't.

 **Chapter One:**

He bowed himself low, nestled against the uncomfortable concrete. He pressed his forehead against the polished stone and breathed in the scent of the incense that burned above him. Every muscle in his body ached, every part of him burned with the heartbreak that had settled over him. Hikaru took a shuddering breath, his hand rising to run over the letters engraved in the unforgiving stone.

Here lies Kaoru Hitachiin

Beloved brother, son and friend

He lived, traveled, loved and adventured…

And he wasn't sorry.

He knew the words by heart, knew the darkness that they had placed upon him. Never again would he hear his brother's laugh, or play a joke upon their friends. They would never play the _Which one is Hikaru_ game. Hikaru was the only one left, the one left behind to deal with the pain of his actions.

"It's been six months." Hikaru whispered, not caring who was around to listen to him. He didn't care who heard him or judged him for talking to the grave before him. This was his time with his brother, moments that he cherished. For six months he had made daily trips to the temple and he spoke to his brother about everything. He kept Kaoru up to date on what had happened to their friends and what was happening with his parents. He felt safe here, like it had all been a bad dream and he would return home to find Kaoru curled up in their bed with open arms.

"I don't know what to do with myself anymore…" There were no easy days, no days where the pain felt lessened. In fact, Haruhi had once promised him that things would get easier with time and now he knew for a fact that she had lied to him. Every day the loss of his brother felt heavier upon his shoulders. "I've tried losing myself in work but every project I have reminds me of you. I've tried spending more time with Haruhi but she's just… so in _love._ It's not easy to be around her anymore…" He couldn't blame her for finally admitting her feelings to Tamaki and she couldn't blame the two for finding happiness when he was still so lost in the darkness.

He was finding it harder and harder to recall the little things that had once meant so much to him. He couldn't recall the natural scent of Kaoru's skin or the feel of his brother's around him when things were too hard to handle on his own. He couldn't remember the sound of his voice and had resulted to late nights calling and recalling his brother's cellphone. He would listen to the voice mail and revel in the closeness it brought him. "I can't remember you…" He whispered. It had only been six months; just one hundred and eighty-three days and already the important things were slipping away. "I need you here."

He could hear footsteps drawing closer, the click of heels against the concrete echoing in the silence around him. The hotheaded part of him that overreacted to everything wanted to turn on the newcomer and demand they leave. How dare they impose on the short amount of time he had to spend with his brother? How dare they enter this sacred space? More of him, however, was just tired. He didn't want to hurt anymore; he didn't want to feel the emptiness that had settled over his heart. He didn't want to lash out because the reality of his situation was heavy upon him… Kaoru's death was his fault. He had been the one driving, he had been the one who lost control and his name had been the last thing from Kaoru's lips.

He was responsible, and taking it out on another mourning soul would only make him worse of a person. The footsteps stopped and silence fell upon them again.

"I'm so sorry…" he breathed, the words alleviating a little of the weight that had settled over him since the night of the accident. "You told me to slow down and I didn't… I thought we were invincible and I never stopped to think about the consequences. We were always just… together. I didn't think I would ever have to lose you. You told me I never would!" The tears were pouring down his face now, his words slurred by the sobs that ripped their way from deep within him. "You promised that no matter what happened we would always be together and then you left! You left because I was stupid and reckless and I didn't protect you!"

His entire body was shaking, his very being falling apart at the seams. His whole world had been centered on the life that he and Kaoru had built together. They had built up walls that were meant to protect them and when they had finally let them down, when they finally accepted other people into their little world, his brother was ripped away from him so quickly. He was vaguely aware of the small girl who had stopped walking and now stood behind him. He could hear the shaking breaths and the sobs she tried to silence as she, too, mourned the loss of the Hitachinn twin.

He sobbed and she cried too. They didn't say anything to each other, and her only acknowledgement of his pain was her own. Silence passed between them until slowly she lowered herself down to her knees. Her closeness sent a shiver of rage through him but his rage was not directed at her. It was directed at himself, directed at the Gods who had taken his brother away from him. She pressed a gentle and reassuring hand to his shoulders as she bowed her head and cried with him.

"WHY?!" He yelled again, his forehead still pressed against the cold stone of Kaoru's tomb. "Why did this happen? Why didn't you fight to stay with me?!" A sob louder than she had meant ripped from her chest as she pressed her face against his shoulder, crying into the fabric of his shirt as they both clung to the comfort of the temple. Her closeness reminded him of his brother and in that moment he was grateful for their joined sorrow. "Why did you leave me?!" And in the quiet of their sorrow he could almost hear Kaoru's comforting response.

 _Terrible things happen, Hikaru. But we'll never lose each other._

 **AUTHOR'S / NOTE:** I'd like to thank all of my lovely readers from the first story who made this sequel possible and I hope you enjoy it as much as you enjoyed Forever.

I'll be running this story very similarly to how I ran the last updates of Forever, I will try my best to post a new chapter every Monday. Three reviews will earn a chapter early so if you're desperate to know what happens just let me know.

My inspiration for this first chapter was the song _Loosing Your Memory_ By Ryan Star. So if you want, listen to that song and you'll understand a bit of the sad emotion I felt while writing Hikaru's heartbreak.

Much love;

Kaasuten


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two:**

It seemed like time had stopped, settling around them as the sun began to give way to darkness. Time in the temple was non-existent and this was not the first time that Hikaru had found his entire day had slipped away from him. This was, however, the first time since they had all said goodbye that he had visited his brother's grave and someone else had been there with him.

She knelt upon the ground in silence, her forehead still pressed gently upon the curve of his shoulder. Every so often her body would shake with the silent effects of a sob, her trembling hands folding gracefully in her lap. Her dirty blonde hair fell from her shoulders and pooled around her in little golden curls. He was grateful for her presence, but surprised that she had remained quiet for so long; she had never been known for her patience.

"What are you doing here, Renge?" Hikaru asked, his voice rough from a mixture of the stress and sadness. "I want to be alone."

"Liar." Her voice was monotone and her eyes remained closed.

For six months every single one of his friends had pussyfooted around him. They had given in to his every whim and excused every one of the tantrums he had thrown. They had pitied him and coddled him and given him space every time he insisted he just wanted to be alone. No one had the courage to stand up to him yet. It was a refreshing relief to have her call him out on his shit.

"You've never been alone a day in your life. You _can't_ want that now." She whispered.

It was almost funny to him, how out of all of the people who had claimed to be close to him it was Renge who could see what he needed most. He tilted his head slightly, pressing his cheek against the crown of her head as they took solace in their joined sorrows. She wasn't Kaoru, but for the moment she filled part of the hole that had burned itself into his chest.

"I miss him, too, you know." She spoke, reaching out and placing her hand on top of his. "We all do. But he wouldn't want this for you. He wouldn't want you to sit here every day like this. He'd want you to forgive yourself and move on with your life."

He turned his hand over, capturing hers and holding tightly to it as the tears once again began cascading down his alabaster cheeks. He _knew_ deep inside him that she was right, that Kaoru would never have wanted him to feel such pain. But he was half a person and without Kaoru he would never be whole again. She couldn't understand that, none of them could. He had never been without Kaoru and he wasn't sure he could be anything except for broken now that he was gone.

"Let's get you out of here…" She started to rise to her feet, but Hikaru tightened his grip upon her hand, holding her in place.

"I don't want to go home." He stated, keeping his gaze trained upon the words etched in Kaoru's tomb.

"I thought you were living with Tamaki and Haruhi for awhile?"

"I don't want to go there, either. They're just so…"

"Happy?" She asked, sighing slightly. If anyone had deserved to find his or her happiness, it was Haruhi. The small commoner girl had been through so much in the time that she had been indebted to the Host Club. Her happiness just happened to come at a very inopportune moment. "Come on then, you can come home with me."

His eyes shifted, staring into her honey colored eyes with an unspoken gratitude. He told everyone he cared about that all he wanted was to be left alone. But all he wanted was to be reminded of what his life had once been. He wanted someone to care for him, he wanted someone to understand his pain and he wanted his brother back. He needed someone to force him back into society… and Renge was just that person.

"I think I've got some commoners coffee at home, too." She tried to give him a reassuring smile, but he noticed the light didn't quite touch her eyes. He had been so lost in his own grief he had taken little notice to how desperately his brother's death had affected the other members of their group.

She kept her fingers laced with his, a gentle grip upon his hand as she half guided, half tugged him through the temple and towards where her town car was waiting for them. Glancing back over his shoulder, he watched as the last bit of incense burned out upon Kaoru's grave. _Goodbye Kaoru._

Xxx Later xxX

Steam billowed from within the tiny china cup, his hands wrapped around it as he attempted to absorb any excess warmth. It was almost as if he were willing the heat to melt the ice that had formed around his heart. He needed to feel something again; the emptiness was threatening to swallow him whole.

"Feeling a little better?"

He met her gaze, watching as she moved around the kitchen with grace. This could not be the same loud-mouthed obnoxious girl who had practically taken over the Host Club all those years ago. She was so well mannered. He shook his head. He couldn't lie to them anymore. He was tired of pretending he was okay when he wasn't.

"That was stupid. I don't know why I asked." She mumbled, a blush crossing over her cheeks as she half fell, half sat in the chair across the table from him. "Of course you're not feeling better." She lifted the teacup to her lips and took a long sip, reveling in the taste of the thick coffee.

"Thanks, Renge…" He whispered, staring down at the dark liquid as it swirled around within his cup.

"For what?" She asked, tilting her head to the side cluelessly. This was the girl he had known back in High School, oblivious to everything except for what she wanted to see.

"For making me leave…" He knew he probably would have spent the night in the temple had someone not come looking for him. Usually it was Haruhi who found him on his bad days and usually she dragged him home, put him to bed, and gave him his space.

Space was the last thing Hikaru wanted.

"I'm not going to pretend to understand how you're feeling, Hikaru," Renge began, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "But you can't tell me that being alone is what you _really_ want. Your brother died." He flinched at her honesty, closing his eyes against the memory of Kaoru slumped in the passenger seat of the town car, his hair bloodied from the impact. "I can't imagine losing someone you literally spent every day of your life with and then wanting to be completely alone." She knew she was overstepping her boundaries, but once she started she simply couldn't stop. It was the one character flaw she hated the most. "I refuse to believe that you don't want someone to help you."

 _You have to tell other people how you feel or they'll never know. And remember, whenever you care a lot for someone, Hikaru, it's important you pay attention to any subtle little hints they drop._

He flinched slightly as Kaoru's words floated through the darker recesses of his mind. How could she see through him? Lifting the cup to his lips he took a long, exaggerated sip of the hot liquid. He had been alone for six months, having someone understand him now was foreign and confusing. "I don't want to be alone…" he whispered, the weight of his brave face falling away with just five words. He was sick of pretending. "I just don't know what to do with myself."

Renge offered him a sad smile, reaching across the table and placing her soft hand upon his. Her touch was warm and comforting but still did nothing to melt the ice that had settled around his heart. "You don't have to be alone, Hikaru. None of us could ever replace Kaoru in your heart but we are all here for you. The whole Host Club loves you and none of us would ever accept leaving you alone if we knew you didn't want it."

Her words held weight he didn't understand, a type of comradeship that he had taken for granted. When he had woken in the hospital and his mother had told him of Kaoru's fate, he had just assumed he would be alone forever. He had given up on the people he cared for most because they weren't his brother. There was nothing they could do and no way he could earn their forgiveness if he couldn't grant his own. When he needed them most he had put up a brave face and tried to pretend he didn't. "I just can't stand being around Haruhi and Tamaki…" He breathed.

"That's understandable." Renge pulled her hand back, using both hands to lift her cup and take a sip of her coffee. "You're hurting and it's hard to be around people who are healing so much faster than you. So you'll just have to stay here for awhile." She shrugged her shoulders as if it were nothing. "Father hardly comes to visit anyway so I have plenty of space."

He glanced around the expansive kitchen, taking every detail and committing it to memory. Now that he thought of it, he couldn't remember any member of the Host Club ever saying they had visited Renge's home with the exception of Haruhi. Once Renge had learned of Haruhi's true gender the girls had spent more and more time together. The rest of the boys, however, had never been invited inside of Renge's home. He had often wondered what her living situation was like, seeing that her parents were back in their home country and she had traveled here mostly on her own. "You don't have to do that."

Renge rolled her eyes and waved a hand at him, regaining some of her obnoxious charm as the sorrow of the day slowly melted away. " _Please_. You and I both know I wouldn't offer if it put me out or made me uncomfortable in any way. You need some companionship and I am currently not obnoxiously love sick." She knew full well that Haruhi and Tamaki only meant well, but their new and budding romance was almost more obnoxious than she was.

"Thanks, Renge."

"Would you stop thanking me already?" She smirked, rising to her feet and placing her hands upon her hips. "You're going to give me a big head."

"Lets face it, you're head is big enough already." Hikaru huffed, the edges of his lips tilting slightly at his insult.

"See? I knew the snarky jerk was still buried in their somewhere. I'll pretend you didn't just insult me."

 **Author's / Note:** So this story will not be _AS_ dramatic as Forever was… but there's still going to be a lot of tragic twists. I'm so glad to be continuing this story and I hope you all love it just as much.

 **Alice Kitten:** As you know, I'm posting lots of updates for my other Ouran story so this one will be updated at least once a week. I promise to take my time and not rush this one.

 **CookieMuncher42:** This story is mostly going to follow Renge and Hikaru so that's why she's the one who shows up in the end ;]


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three:**

Hikaru grounded himself, gazing out over the expansive lawn as he nursed a cup of coffee. His phone had been ringing off the hook all morning, no doubt a worried Haruhi who had woken up alone for the first time in months. His bed had been pulled into her bedroom, giving him the comfort of another person's breathing while he tried to sleep at night. Adjusting to being just one half of a whole had been far from easy.

Again he silenced the phone, sending the worried girl to voicemail as he breathed a sigh of relief. He had spent the last night on Renge's couch and had gotten the best nights sleep he had since Kaoru's death. There was something about being alone and yet having her so close that comforted him. There was something about the way she refused to coddle him that made his pain almost bearable.

"You are not going out dressed like that," Renge huffed, breaking through the silence that had settled over him.

Raising a brow, he turned so that he was leaning against the railing almost glaring at her. "And where exactly do you think I'm going out to?" He asked.

"I've got some errands to run and I figured you would be a gentleman and escort me. Hold my bags, open doors, you know… the whole nine yards." She smirked, brushing off her soft yellow sundress with the back of her hands.

"Don't you have servants for that?" He asked, rolling his eyes at her. He was not in the mood to go shopping and to placate some little girl's every whim.

"Of course I do. But you're still going to do it. And do you know why?"

Hikaru shook his head.

"You're going to come with me because you need to get out. You need to stop hiding from the world and I'm not going to let you turn my house into a prison of doom and gloom. So go put clothes on and cover up all of that," she made a face like she was disgusted at the sight of him.

He glanced down his frame. He wasn't wearing a shit, but he had a pair of sweatpants loosely hanging from his hips. They were clearly meant for a man much bigger than Hikaru, and so he had guessed when Renge had given them to him that they had once belonged to her father. "And what exactly do you expect me to wear?"

Renge smiled. "You know those servants you so kindly reminded me I had? Well they washed your clothes last night while you were sleeping. They're folded on the couch as we speak. So stop complaining and go get dressed!" She demanded, turning on her heels and storming back into her home like a hurricane.

He stared after her for a long moment, a grimace marking his soft features as he finished off the cup of coffee. "I don't take orders from you!" He yelled after her, watching as she waved him off dismissively.

"Sure you don't, sweetheart." She cooed back at him. "We leave in ten minutes so _get ready!"_

Grumbling to himself, Hikaru made his way through her expansive home and to the living room that had served as his bedroom for the last night. She had been telling the truth, his clothes were freshly laundered and folded upon the couch for him.

"Are you ready yet?" Renge huffed, entering the living room in a flurry of motion. She had added a wide brimmed sunhat atop her delicate blonde curls. She looked like something out of a movie and Hikaru couldn't help but chuckle at her.

"Yeah, I'm ready," he huffed, rising from his spot and following after her listlessly as she bubbled about the shopping she needed to get done and the fun she thought they were going to have out together for the day.

She stopped short just in front of the front door, turning to glare at him.

"What?!" He asked, glaring right back.

"It's time to be a gentleman." She smirked, crossing her arms over her chest and waiting impatiently.

"What the hell are you talking about?" He huffed, glaring at her like the crazy person he thought she was.

"Open. The. Door."

Hikaru stared at her, "Are you fucking kidding me?"

Renge only smiled innocently.

Rolling his eyes the boy stepped forward, pushing open the door and holding it open for her. As she passed through the doorway, she reached up and patted his cheek gently. "That's a good boy."

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_

So I made this chapter a little shorter, mimicking the chapters of the original Forever. They're going to get longer as we go. I hope you're still enjoying!

 **Roseica 23:** If you ever need some help with your fanfictions I would be more than happy to help out!

 **Alice Kitten:** I'm glad you like my take on Renge. I hope she continues to make an impression on you! :]


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four:**

"You'll have to go and see them eventually, you know." Renge spoke without lifting her eyes from her nails as she painted delicate strokes upon them.

It had been four days since she had found Hikaru huddled against his brother's grave and still the boy remained her guest. He refused to leave, not that she would ever ask him to. She couldn't begin to imagine what he was going through, but she knew that he needed someone to push him back into the real world. He needed someone who really cared about him to at least try to make him better.

"Who?" Hikaru huffed, watching as if it were the most fascinating thing in the world. Keeping himself distracted was easy when Renge was around.

"Tama-chan and Haru-chan." She finally lifted her gaze to his. "They're worried about you."

"I'm sure they've figured out I'm okay by now." He shrugged, brushing her off as if his friends concern was nothing.

"Oh of course they have. I told them you were here."

"What?!" He stared at her incredulously, agitation dripping from his voice. "Why would you do that?"

"So they wouldn't worry." Renge huffed, rolling her eyes. "Haruhi was so afraid something happened to you when you didn't come home and I knew you wouldn't reach out to calm her, so I did."

"Great. Now they're going to show up here." He huffed, dropping his chin back to the table.

"Of course they are. I invited them over for dinner." Renge smirked, capping the bottle of nail polish and blowing gently upon the freshly painted tips.

"Why the hell would you go and do a thing like that?!" He hollered, jumping from his chair and towering over her.

"Oh, I don't know. Why would I invite two of my good friends over for dinner? I must be a monster," she chuckled, rolling her eyes at him. "Not everything is about you, Hikaru." She looked up at him out of the corner of her eye, watching as his agitation slowly started to fade.

At first she had been worried, there were only two possible outcomes to her approach at healing him. First, he could accept her blasé attitude and slowly start to come around again. Second, he could completely fly off the deep end and spiral even deeper into the depression he had buried himself in. Renge was willing to chance it for even the small hope that he could get better and that he could find himself again.

"You're hopeless." He huffed.

"And you're still a guest in my house."

He glared at her. "So I get no say in who comes over for dinner? Or if I want to see those people?"

Renge pretended to think about it for a long moment, chewing on her bottom lip for emphasis. "Nope! But you know what you can do?"

He merely continued to glare.

"You can open the doors," She smirked, watching as his eyes narrowed in pure hatred. Or so it would have seemed… if you hadn't noticed the way the edges of his lips tweaked up slightly.

It was working; Hikaru was almost really smiling for the first time since the accident that had claimed his brother's life.

Renge was what he needed, after all. She, regardless of how he acted towards her, was the closest thing he would ever get to having his brother back. She was impulsive and demanding and had the same sense of humor that he and his brother had perfected over years of isolation. Renge understood him on a deeper level, a much deeper level than Haruhi or Tamaki ever could.

"Open your doors yourself," he grumbled, rising from his seat and crossing the room. "I'm not your butler."

"Oh! But you would look amazing in a butler's uniform. I think I've got one around here somewhere," she grinned, already off on another one of her tangents. "I could get it out of storage and we could dress you up. You could drive me around all day and open doors for me. Wouldn't that be fun?" She teased.

Hikaru continued to glare at her, all remnants of his previous smile washed from his features. "You have a very twisted idea on what fun is."

"And you need to lighten up a bit. You're too grouchy and we're having company tonight."

"I don't want to see them!" He demanded as she followed after him towards the living room, instinctively he held the door open for her as she followed him.

"Thanks, Jeeves," she teased.

* * *

 **Author's / Note:**

So for now I've decided to keep this as mostly little cute moments between Hikaru and Renge. As we get further into the story the plot will develop a bit more. But after all, this is just their love story.

 **Alice Kitten:** She really does treat him like a doll, doesn't she? :]

 **Brainless Genius:** To be honest with you, when I was writing Forever and finally decided to kill off Kaoru, I was watching Harry Potter. I was swaying back and forth because originally I was going to kill either Haruhi or Kyoya… but I just couldn't.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this;

You all rock!

Kaasuten


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five:**

"Pour me another." Hikaru demanded, motioning to the empty shot glass that sat before him. As much of a good influence Renge was trying to be, Hikaru could not escape the demons that haunted him. Losing his brother was more than he could stand, constant company or not.

"I think you've had enough." The bartender smiled sweetly, placing a glass of water in front of him. The look of sympathy that crossed her features was too much for him, his own twisted sense of rage flooding through him.

"I'll tell you when I've had enough. Pour me another." He demanded again.

"I really can't, sir." She frowned.

"My brother fucking _died_. Do you know what that's like?" He asked, glaring across the bar at her. "He fucking died because I was driving too fucking fast."

"I'm so sorry," she whispered, blinking back the shock.

"So the very least you could do for me is your _job._ Pour me another shot." He snapped, pushing the glass a little harder than he had meant to, sending it toppling over her side of the bar to shatter upon the floor.

"What are you _doing?"_

Closing his eyes, Hikaru let a groan fall past his lips. "What does it look like I'm doing? I'm drowning away my sorrows. What the hell are you doing here, Renge?"

She crossed the bar so she was standing before him, her hands upon her hips as she glared down at him in disgust. "You're drunk."

"I'm sad." He countered, pouting out his bottom lip slightly. "I read on the internet that alcohol numbs the pain."

She rolled her eyes and pulled out twelve hundred yen, placing it down on the bar. "Does this cover it?"

The bartender nodded meekly. "That should just about do it."

"Good." Renge huffed, turning her agitated gaze back at the inebriated boy before her. "We're leaving."

"Fuck no I'm not." He snapped. "I want another shot."

"If you drink any more they're going to throw you in the drunk tank for the night. What wonderful headlines that would be: _Grieving designer's son locked away for intoxication._ " She chided, "Your mother will be so proud."

"Don't mother about my talk." He snapped, glaring at her.

"You're brilliant when you're drunk. You know that?" She snapped, reaching out and grasping his arm at the elbow. "I'm taking you home. _Now_."

"I don't want to go!" He practically screamed, ripping his arm out of her grip as he rose to his full height. She stood no chance against him, tiny in comparison to his height and much weaker even on his worst days. "I want to stay here and I want this idiot to give me another drink." He roared, his face flushed from a mixture of the alcohol and the rage.

"You're being a jerk!" She yelled back, well aware that almost every eye in the dinghy bar was upon them now. "We lost him, too!"

Hikaru flinched slightly, his glare never softening. "You didn't lose shit. You all went about your lives like you were fucking fine." His words were slurring, his body swaying slightly.

"Just because Kaoru is dead doesn't give you the right to treat everyone else like this," she hissed, reaching out to grasp his arm again. This time he did not pull away. "We all lost him. We all died a little inside with him. So don't you dare claim that we moved on with our lives because we will never let him go. Ever."

He almost softened beneath her gaze. "Just fucking leave me alone."

"No."

"Just go!" He snapped, somewhere in the exchange he had gripped onto her arm for balance both of body and soul.

"I'm not leaving you, Hikaru. You may not want to admit it but you need me and I'm not going to let you do this to yourself. You can't drown your sorrows no matter what the Internet chooses to tell you," she rolled her eyes again at his stupidity.

"The internet doesn't lie," he hissed.

"Well neither do I, and I say you've had enough and it's time to go home." She glared, her gaze daring him to argue any further. "I'm taking you home with me if I have to knock you out and drag you out of here myself."

"Miss, is everything okay here?" An overly sized man asked, placing his hand upon her shoulder. "Is this man bothering you?"

" _She's_ bothering _me,"_ Hikaru slurred, leaning closer to her so their noses were almost touching.

"We're fine," Renge sighed, trying not to breathe in the scent of his breath. "We were just leaving."

"No, we're not." Hikaru demanded, stamping his foot like a child.

"You're going to pass out any moment. I can wait." She rebutted, watching as his body swayed before her.

"No, I'm not." He hissed, their lips almost touching he was so close to her face.

"Don't you dare kiss me," she hissed.

"As if I would want to do something as disgusting as that," he laughed, his eyes rolling back slightly as his body crumpled forward and against her.

Had the man who had stepped up to her aid not been standing right behind her, Hikaru would have toppled her to the floor, his weight crushing her beneath them. Luckily, the stranger steadied them both.

"Are you okay, miss?" He asked, holding onto Hikaru by his arm as the boy hung limply between them.

"I'm fine," she sighed, taking a deep calming breath. "Could you help carry him to my car?"

"Hnn." He nodded, practically throwing the drunken man over his shoulder.

 _ **Xxx The Next Morning xxX**_

"Rise and shine," Renge cooed, sitting on the edge of the couch as Hikaru began to rouse.

"I feel like I was hit by a truck," he huffed, rubbing the heel of his hand against his forehead and putting slight pressure on his eyes.

"Take these, they'll help." She offered, holding out a glass of orange juice and a couple of green tablets that looked like asprin.

"What happened?" He asked, drowning the entire glass of orange juice as he took the pills.

"You decided to invade the bar last night and scare the locals. You did a pretty nice rendition of Singing In The Rain on top of the bar." She teased.

"I don't remember any of that." He sighed heavily.

"Because you were incredibly drunk. You literally passed out on top of me." She smiled.

"We didn't….?" He asked, his eyes wide in shock.

"No," she chuckled. "At one point I thought you might kiss me and you actually said, _As if I would do anything as disgusting as that._ "

"Ugh." He groaned.

"No apology needed," she rolled her eyes.

"I really cannot remember anything from last night." He practically moaned.

"That's probably for the best." She didn't feel the need to tell him he had been a complete ass to everyone within a ten-mile radius.

"Will you please stop screaming at me?" He groaned, burying his head back underneath one of the pillows.

"Sure," she whispered. "I'll just go get you some more juice."


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six:**

"Please tell me you're kidding." She sighed in exasperation, gently rubbing her fingers over her temples. "Now is really not the best time. Can't you convince him to come another time?"

Hikaru leaned against the counter, watching her with curious eyes as a flustered looking Renge argued with the person on the other end of the line. His brow was raised, a light smirk on the edge of his lips. She paced back and forth, her lips puckered and her brow furrowed in irritation before she finally noticed him watching her. She rolled her eyes at his smug expression before turning her back on him and leaning against the counter.

"But I already _have_ company." She practically groaned. "I don't think right now is the right time for him to come and check up on me."

She listened with disinterest to whoever was on the other end of the phone, mouthing the words _my mother_ to the boy beside her.

"Fine. I understand. When does he arrive?" Her eyes widened. "Tomorrow? You can't be serious!" Again, silence as she listened to whatever demands her mother was placing upon her. "Fine. I'll make sure the guest room is ready for him. Yes. I know. I love you, too, Mama."

When she finally hung up the phone, Hikaru could practically see the way she sank against the counter. She seemed to become even smaller than she normally was. "Nice chat?" He asked, grasping her abandoned cup of coffee and taking a long sip from it.

"My father will be here tomorrow," she moaned, placing her head in her hands as she shook it back and forth. "This is awful."

"And here I thought your father was a nice guy." Hikaru teased her playfully.

She shot him an agitated glance from the space between her fingers. "He _is_ a nice guy. That's the problem. I can almost promise you he's going to think this," she gestured back and forth between them. "Is more than it is. Not only that, but I'm of _age._ Do you know how annoying it is to hear my father constantly talking about eligible suitors? Like I'm some gift to be given away." She scoffed, rolling her eyes dramatically.

"Ah." He crossed his arms over his chest. "Would you rather I go back and stay at Tamaki's place?"

Renge shook her head almost violently. "I would never ask you to leave. Especially not with everything that's going on."

She didn't have to say it; Hikaru knew exactly what she meant. _Especially not since your brother is dead._ Inwardly he flinched.

"I'll just have to think of a way to handle my father." She groaned again.

"We could just let him believe what he wants to believe," Hikaru shrugged as if it were nothing. "I mean from what you're saying it doesn't sound like there's much we can do to convince him otherwise, anyway."

"What exactly are you offering?" She asked, narrowing her eyes and looking at him suspiciously. It was seldom that Hikaru was nice and the offer seemed _too kind_ for the boy she had grown so fond of.

"I can pretend to be your boyfriend if it gets your father off your case," he shrugged again, finally taking note of her incredulous expression. He rolled his eyes at her, pushing himself off the counter to walk away from her. "Don't act like I'm killing you here." He huffed. "If you don't like the idea we won't do it."

She reached out, her hand wrapping around his wrist in an attempt to stop him from leaving. "No. I think that could work. It would definitely get him off my back for a little while." Her voice was softer than normal, kinder. It wasn't the same sad kindness most of his friends used when pussyfooting around him lately. This was a genuine kindness he hadn't heard since _before._ "Thank you." She spoke, pushing herself up on her tiptoes and kissing his cheek gently before skipping off amid babbles of needing new clothes and having to get someone to prepare the guest room.

 _ **Xxx The Next Day xxX**_

"Papa!" Renge cried happily, practically running down the front steps of her elaborate home before she threw herself into the arms of a much older and semi-shocked looking man.

His shock quickly melted into a mix of admiration and adoration as he wrapped his arms around the small girl now clinging to him. "Hello, my darling." He grinned, pressing a loving kiss to the top of her head. "I trust Japan has been treating you well?"

"Oh yes, Papa." She smiled, stepping back and clasping her hands behind her back. "I've been keeping myself very busy lately."

"Have you made any decisions regarding your future yet? Are you almost ready to return to France? Your Mama misses you terribly." He spoke, smiling sweetly and expectantly down upon her. From his spot in the doorway, Hikaru could almost feel the father's love for his small and overly energetic daughter.

"I miss her, too. I'll be sure to visit soon but I don't have any plans to return to France yet. Japan has been too good to me." She wasn't lying. All of the friends she had made and all of the people who had become her Japanese family had changed her. Originally she had moved to Japan in an attempt to get Kyoya Ootori to love her… now she remained because of the people who had loved her instead.

"Too good, it seems." Her father chuckled, the corners of his eyes crinkling as he smiled. "Let's go inside and you can tell me all about the opportunities that Japan has offered you to steal your heart away from Paris."

"Before we do that," She grasped at his arm gently, stopping him before he could turn towards the entrance to her home. "There's something I need to tell you." She took a deep breath, holding her hand out to where Hikaru was still leaning against the door jam.

They had discussed his introduction at length and Hikaru was more than willing to follow her instructions. Playing the part gave him an escape from the lie he had been living since Kaoru's death. He was glad to have a distraction. He moved with gracefully fluid motions, descending her front steps until he stood beside her, taking her hand in one of his and wrapping the other lovingly around her slender waist.

"Papa, this is Hikaru Hitachiin. My _boyfriend."_ She breathed, watching as her father's features flickered between amusement and confusion.

"Your boyfriend?" He asked, still keeping his kind smile upon his lips. "You never mentioned a boyfriend in any of your calls or letters, Renge?"

She nodded, though beneath the soft touch of his hand Hikaru could feel her slight trembling. She was nervous. "I wasn't sure what we were yet," she chuckled and her voice held all the strength he was used to hearing from her. How often had she been nervous or trembling that he had never noticed?

"I see." Her father's gaze flickered to Hikaru's, his smile warming. "It's a pleasure to meet you, young man."

Hikaru took his hand as the older man offered it and shook firmly. "The pleasure is all mine, sir."

"So you're the reason Renge refuses to move back home, huh?"

"Guilty. Though I've told her I'd gladly fly to France to see her any time she wanted me too." He smirked, earning himself an elbow to the ribcage from the small girl still tucked in the circle of his arm. Talking about France had not been on the detailed list of topics he was allowed to speak of with her father.

"That's quite an expensive trip." It was obvious now what her father was insinuating. He wanted to know if Hikaru could afford to date Renge. He was searching to see if Hikaru was of the same upbringing as his daughter.

"I'm the only heir to the Hitachiin fortune now." He kept his face impassive, ignoring the wave of pain that rattled through him as again Kaoru's expressionless face flashed before his eyes.

"Ah, yes. I remember reading about your accident. I'm so sorry for your loss." The smile was replaced with the look of pity Hikaru was far too used to by this point.

"Thank you, sir."

"Let's go inside." Renge interrupted, giving Hikaru's hand a reassuring squeeze as she changed the subject.

His eyes fell to hers, a look of gratitude passing between them.

"The cook is preparing an amazing meal for dinner tonight and Hikaru and I thought you might like to go down to the local park with us tonight. The cherry blossoms are in full bloom." She continued, gesturing for her father to lead the way into their home. Once her father had stepped far enough away, she met Hikaru's gaze again. "Are you okay?" She asked.

Hikaru smirked, masking his pain. "Of course, darling." He pressed a gentle kiss to her cheek, well aware her father could still hear them. But as his lips fell to her cheek, a warmth spread through him unlike anything he had felt since his brother's funeral.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_

I am so sorry for the delay in chapters. I've been moving into a new place and classes started today on top of the fact that I have two weddings and a good friend visiting me in the next month and a half. I'll try to get back to my weekly updates soon!

The next few chapters will be Renge's father's visit.

All my love;

Kaasuten


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven:**

Hikaru watched her with patient eyes, a type of patience he hadn't been aware he possessed. She moved with such fluidly graceful movements, balancing on the balls of her feet as if she were floating on air. She babbled and twirled with excitement as she pointed out statues and plants and the cherry blossoms to her father.

The elderly man followed behind her, effortlessly keeping pace with his energetic child. He nodded when it was appropriate and spoke when needed, but for the most part Renge's father just let her speak. He was content to hear all about her life in Japan and the craziness she had gotten herself into. Hikaru moved slowly, just six or seven steps behind them.

"Sweetheart?"

His eyes snapped up to hers, his heart stuttering in his chest. His body had been reacting strangely to her from the moment he decided to kiss her cheek. What the hell was wrong with him?

"You're falling behind." Renge pouted, holding her hand out to him.

He gazed at her small, soft, well-manicured hand for a half a moment before placing his own hand in her grasp. Their fingers laced, his heart hammered.

"You're clearly very much in love with her." Renge's father smiled.

"Papa!" Renge groaned, clearly mortified. "We don't use the 'L' word yet!"

Her father smiled sheepishly, shrugging his shoulders. "I just call them as I see them."

 _You're clearly very much in love with her._

Was he?

 _ **Xxx Later xxX**_

Renge sat upon the porch, her knees pulled up to her chest as she watched the fireflies dance in the yard.

"There you are."

Her eyes lifted slowly, meeting the warm gaze of her houseguest as Hikaru held out a cup of hot tea to her. She took it graciously, lifting it to her lips and taking a small sip. "I'm hiding."

"From your father?" He asked, lowering himself down onto the porch beside her.

She didn't miss how his shirt lifted, exposing the smooth white skin of his stomach or how his natural scent washed over her. She merely nodded.

"Do you think he believes our story?" Hikaru asked, staring out into the yard. He seemed oblivious to the way Renge was watching him out of the corner of her eye.

 _I almost believe it._ She thought, brushing her fingers through her bangs. "He's pretty gullible. I once tricked him into believing every single one of my classmates had an elephant… he bought me an elephant." She chuckled.

"You sure know how to make unrealistic requests." Hikaru snorted.

"Unrealistic?! What do you mean? An elephant is very realistic." She pouted.

" _Kyoya is my fiancé. I'm marrying Kyoya. I'm the Host Club's manager. Make me a movie. Take me to the beach. Be my fake boyfriend._ " He smirked, forcing his voice to be as high pitched and irritating than he had meant for it to be.

"I do not sound like that!" She whined, swatting playfully at his arm.

"Oh yeah, you do." He grinned, bracing his arms behind him as he looked up at the moon.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" She asked, following his gaze. "There's just something about the night that makes everything seem like it's going to be okay."

Hikaru said nothing, he merely hummed a low response in the back of his throat.

For a few moments they sat like that, listening to the sounds of the night and wrapped in the darkness together. So much pain, so much suffering… From Haruhi's kidnapping, to Kyoya's lost memory and finally loosing Kaoru. The Host Club had been through so much. But if there was one thing Renge knew… it was that at the end of it all they would come out stronger for it.

Slowly she scooted herself over, nestling at his side and placing her head upon his shoulder. "It _is_ going to be okay, Hikaru. I promise."

"Yeah…" He breathed, bracing his cheek gently upon the top of her head. "Thanks, Renge."

 _Thanks for giving me hope._


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight:**

"We need to talk."

Every hair on the back of Hikaru's neck stood at attention, his heart skipping a few beats in his chest. He thought he was safe, thought Renge's father was still fast asleep and would be for a few more hours. Renge herself slept like a log and, since Hikaru barely slept anymore, he had gotten used to having the house to himself in the dark hours of the night. Her father had been staying with them for a week and, while it had been interesting at best pretending to be her boyfriend, he was glad her father would be heading back to France in the morning.

"Can't sleep, sir?" He asked, continuing to fiddle with the teakettle as if the elder man had not surprised him at all.

"You either, I assume." Hikaru heard the barstool groan as it swiveled, a sure sign that Renge's father wasn't leaving any time soon. He was making himself comfortable.

 _Damn._

"I don't sleep much anymore." _The nightmares are suffocating._ But he would never admit to anyone that Kaoru visited him in his dreams or that his brother blamed him for his death.

"I would imagine not. You've been through quite a lot."

Hikaru flinched. "Yes, sir. It hasn't been an easy year."

"And yet you make my daughter so happy."

"I don't think that has much to do with me. She's an infectious personality." Hikaru explained, grimacing slightly as he poured two cups of the green tea he had brewed.

"I don't remember the last time I saw her smile like that. This isn't the typical infatuation that I've seen in her time and time again. This seems real." Her father explained, graciously accepting the second cup of tea when Hikaru offered it.

 _But it isn't real. This is all a trick._ Hikaru leaned his elbow against the counter. "I'm glad she's happy. She deserves to be happy."

"And so do you, son." Hikaru's eyes flickered to those of the elder man. "I get the feeling you're not really letting her into your heart and I think you should. It's obvious you care deeply for her."

"Let her into my heart…" Hikaru chuckled. "Interesting theory."

 _ **Xxx The Next Morning xxX**_

It was quite a few hours after the sun rose that Renge finally graced them with her presence. She was draped in a pink fluffy robe and she yawned deeply. Her arms stretched over her head and her eyes squeezed shut against the morning sun. "You two are up way too early. In fact, I'm up way too early."

"I do have a plane to catch in just a few hours." Her father chuckled lightly, sipping at a fresh cup of coffee and sliding one across the bar to her.

"Thank you, Papa." She smiled, collapsing onto a seat beside him and sipping gingerly at the coffee. "I can't believe it's been a week already."

"It's high time I head back to my own home. Your mother gets lonely." He explained, brushing a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "I don't think you will be very lonely."

Renge blushed deeply. "Papa."

"Can I talk to you for a moment?"

Her eyes snapped up to Hikaru, taking note to how tense his voice sounded as he spoke to her. It was clear that he was nervous about something. "Sure?" Slowly she pulled herself from the stool, clutching her coffee tightly in her hands.

Hikaru led her from the kitchen and onto the back porch where just nights before they had sat in calm silence together admiring the fireflies.

"Are you okay?" She asked, placing a gentle hand upon his shoulder after the door had closed behind them.

"Yeah. I… your father and I talked last night." He spoke, brushing his fingers through his tousled hair.

"Did he say something mean? If he did I'm very sorry." She was nervously nibbling at her bottom lip.

"No… He just put some ideas into my head."

"Good ideas?" She asked, anxiety spreading through her.

Hikaru nodded. "I was thinking it might be time for me to go home."

"Home." She breathed, the implication of that word hung heavy over them. Home meant he no longer wanted to stay with her. Home meant returning to the last place Kaoru had been before getting into the car. Home meant facing his demons. "I put too much pressure on you… didn't I?" She asked, looking down at her feet. She should have known better than to ask him to pretend to be her boyfriend for a week.

"No! Jesus, no." He huffed. "It's not that at all. I just, well, I don't think I should stay here anymore."

"Why?" She lifted her large hazel eyes to his; they were filled with a sadness and worry he hadn't seen there since the day she found him at Kaoru's grave.

"Because I want to ask you out, okay?!" He practically yelled, clenching his fists together at his side.

Her eyes went wide, her lips forming a delicate 'o' as she watched the muscles in his shoulders tense in anticipation. "Like on a date?"

"Don't act so surprised." He practically growled. "You can say no."

"I don't want to say no." She smiled lightly. "I'd like to go out on a date with you, Hikaru."

"Yeah well… how does tomorrow sound?" His features were stained blood red.

"Tomorrow sounds amazing."

Neither was aware of the knowing eyes that watched them through the kitchen window. "Maybe not so much of a trick after all." Her father chuckled, returning to his seat at the table.

* * *

 _ **Author's / Notes:**_

So these chapters are going to start to bounce around a little bit. The next one will be their first date but since this story is supposed to encompass about five years, I want to start getting into the future a bit more. These chapters I felt were necessary to see how Renge and Hikaru actually came to get along since their personalities are so different.

I hope you're still enjoying!

All my love.

Kaasuten


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine:**

Hikaru glared.

Never in his life had he felt more stupid than he did now, watching Tamaki and Haruhi discuss his life in detail before him. They had both been more than happy to have him staying with them while he searched for his own place, but both had a lot to say about his decision to ask Renge out on a date.

"I didn't realize you were staying with her because you _liked_ her." Tamaki beamed, teasing his friend. "Tell me, has this secret romance been blooming since our time in Ouran?" He looked like a kid in a candy store, sitting cross-legged on the floor of the guest room that had been given to Hikaru.

Hikaru rolled his eyes in irritation. "No."

"Leave him alone, senpai." Haruhi warned, sending Tamaki a stern look before turning a gentle gaze back at the other boy. "So where are you going to take her, Hikaru?"

Hikaru was quiet for a long moment. "I hadn't really thought about it at all. I thought we would just wing it." He finally admitted.

Tamaki slammed his palm against his forehead and groaned.

Haruhi once again shot Tamaki a stern look. "I'm sure whatever you decide will be fine. Just keep in mind, Renge has a flare for the dramatic and she is a hopeless romantic. She'll be expecting something big from you."

Hikaru groaned. "What do I do then?"

Tamaki brightened immediately. "Have no fear, Daddy's here!"

 _ **Xxx Later that night xxX**_

The bell was loud. It was much louder than he remembered it being. Or maybe he was just _so_ nervous he was taking note to things he hadn't before. Why was he so nervous anyway? It was only Renge, after all. He had known her for years and she had seen almost every side of him.

 _It's not too late to run._ He rationalized with himself, letting the fear begin to settle on him. _Maybe this was a mistake._

He had almost talked himself out of taking her on a date at all when slowly the door pulled open and Renge stepped into view.

And she was _beautiful._

Her sandy hair was lightly curled into thick ringlets that fell around her soft alabaster shoulders. She was dressed in a soft pink sundress that fell loosely around her knees. A light white ribbon wrapped its way around her waist and dainty straps held the flowing fabric against her body. Her makeup was light, noticeable but not overpowering. Needless to say, she was gorgeous.

"Wow…" He breathed.

"You are pretty _wow_ yourself." She giggled, stepping forward and gently taking his hand in hers.

 _ **Xxx Towards the End of the Night xxX**_

"Ah! Look at all of the little ducklings!" Renge cried out excitedly, skipping ahead of Hikaru with a childish whimsy. She chased after the small family of ducklings as they waddled their way closer to the edge of the lake. The streetlights were on now, and every so often the ducklings and Renge would disappear into patches of darkness before reappearing a couple of feet ahead.

Dinner had gone smoothly, and Renge hadn't stopped talking since he picked her up. He took that to be a sign that she was enjoying herself.

"Careful," he warned. "You don't want to follow them into the water." But he couldn't help the light-teasing smile that crossed over his lips.

And then it was like a movie.

It was no sooner than the words had fallen from his lips, that Renge turned on her heels to face him. He assumed she had meant to utter some smart-ass comment in response to his teasing. Instead, her feet slipped on the evening dew that littered the grass. Her eyes went wide as her body tumbled downwards towards the ground.

"Renge!" Hikaru lurched himself forward, reaching out to grab her hand. Their fingers intertwined naturally, but her momentum was far greater than his. Instead of grabbing her and stopping her from falling to the ground, they both tumbled the last four feet of bank before sinking into the cold water of the lake.

When he surfaced, choking on murky water, Hikaru wanted nothing more than to strangle his blonde headed King. A leisurely stroll around the lake was a perfect idea, he had claimed. And now his newest suit was drenched and possibly ruined. Renge sputtered, spitting out water and laughing hysterically at the situation they had found themselves in.

"You're such a klutz!" She giggled, her back still turned towards him.

"Me?" Hikaru scoffed. "You're the one who tripped first."

"I wouldn't have rolled quite as far if you hadn't bowled into me." She continued to laugh, slowly turning to face him.

The moment she turned, Hikaru broke out into hysterical laughter as well. Her hair, now soaked, stuck to her features. Smudges of muck stuck to her features and there was some green weed in her hair. "You look like a drowned rat!"

Renge scowled. "So do you!" She pouted, bending down so that she could splash some of the murky water in his direction.

"No, but really!" He laughed, lifting his arms in an attempt to protect his face from her water attack. "It's cute. Or as cute as a rat could be, anyway." He teased.

"I'll show you cute!" She glared, bending once more to splash him again. But Renge was a klutz. And in typical klutz fashion, she lost her footing. Letting out a shrill shriek as she fell, she braced herself against Hikaru's broad chest.

"Klutz." He smirked, his hands resting gently against her hips.

Slowly she lifted her gaze, steadying herself upon her feet. It did not go unnoticed that Hikaru kept his hands placed firmly upon the soft contours of her body. "I am not a Klutz." She whispered breathlessly.

They were drawing closer together slowly.

"You're clearly the most clumsy girl I have ever known." He spoke softly.

"Am not." She breathed, their lips just a hairsbreadth apart now.

"Are so."

Their lips touched, gently at first. It was a tentative kiss, as if they were each trying to assess the other. It was Hikaru who finally gave into the moment. He pressed his hands firmly against the small of her back, forcing her flush against his chest. Renge gave a startled gasp at his sudden movement, parting her lips and relinquishing herself to his control.

Their first kiss was passionate and deep, both loosing themselves in the moment. Neither cared that they were in public or knee deep in a lake and soaking wet. All Hikaru cared about was the small girl clutching tightly to his arms and the fact that he felt truly alive for the first time since his brothers death.

"Wow…." Renge breathed when they finally pulled apart, bracing her forehead gently against his strong chest.

Hikaru chuckled. "You're pretty wow yourself."


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten:**

"But what do I wear?!" Renge groaned, throwing herself down onto her back amid the soft pillows and comforting mattress of her oversized bed.

Haruhi perched upon a chair across the room, a knowing smile plastered over her lips. "Whatever you wear is going to be perfect, Renge. Hikaru isn't going to care."

"He's not going to _care?_ " Renge rolled her head to the side to shoot a death glare in Haruhi's direction. Over the last few months the girls had grown even closer together, especially now that Renge knew all of Haruhi's secrets. It was nice to have someone to really relate to. "He's a fashion designer by trade. Of course he's going to care what I'm wearing!"

Haruhi chuckled, rolling her eyes at the overly dramatic girl. "I think he's going to care more about getting it off of you." Haruhi teased. She understood the significance of the decision Renge was making and how nervous the girl was, but she had been so close to Tamaki for so long that she no longer felt connected to the girlish nervousness that come with making things official _._ Renge and Hikaru had been dating for a long time and it didn't go unnoticed that Hikaru was spending more nights than not at Renge's home. But they still were just _dating_. The nervousness rolling off Renge was palpable as she prepared to ask Hikaru for something more than just casual dating.

"I can't believe this is happening." Renge blushed a deep red, burying her face beneath one of her soft pillows.

"You don't have to do this if you're not ready." Haruhi spoke comfortingly. "Hikaru isn't exactly the type of guy who is going to make you do anything you're not ready to do."

"He's not forcing me to do anything. I think I'm ready for this." Both girls were silent for a long moment before Renge let out a girly giggle. "Yes. I'm ready for this."

"Then I say go with the red one." Haruhi smirked.

"Yeah?"

"Hikaru loves red." Haruhi confirmed.

 _ **Xxx Hikaru xxX**_

"You know they're probably just gossiping and sharing stories, right?" Hikaru smirked, suffering slightly under Tamaki's gaze. The boys had spent most of the day together discussing engagement plans and looking at rings. Tamaki had finally decided to take the plunge and would be asking Haruhi to marry him later that month. Hikaru was finally starting to understand why.

Dating Renge had been different and unlike anything he had ever known before. He hadn't expected to enjoy her company or to want to go out with her again after the first time.

But that kiss.

He couldn't stop thinking about the feel of her lips and her laughter. The feel of her drenched body pressed against his. The intelligence and how her plans reminded him of the harebrained schemes he and his brother used to come up with. She was filling a hole in his life he had never thought he would fill.

"You really think Haruhi is telling her anything about our intimate life?" Tamaki asked, raising an eyebrow.

"It would only be fair. I get enough of the details from you." Hikaru scoffed.

"Me, yes. I love to talk. Haruhi? She's embarrassed even talking to me about those sort of things." Tamaki laughed.

"I can't believe you're going to ask her to marry you." Hikaru smirked. "It's not like e don't know she's going to say yes, though. That girl is crazy for you."

"That's the best part of love, my friend. Crazy."

 _ **Xxx That Night xxX**_

Hikaru couldn't help but stare at her. She looked gorgeous, draped in a deep red dress that clung to her slender curves. Her features were stained red from a blush as she rattled on about something that had happened to her earlier that day and how her father kept calling and asking about when the two of them were going to come visit in Paris. "You really made an impression on him, I think."

Hikaru smiled kindly, watching her as she took a moment to sip gingerly from her wine glass. "He's not a bad guy."

"Do you think we could?" She asked, looking up at him tentatively. "Do you think we could go visit my family in Paris?"

Hikaru shrugged nonchalantly. "I do have a house in Paris we could stay at."

"Good because I would hate to stay at my mothers." She smirked, her heart inflating as she realized that he had, in his own way, agreed to go and visit her family. "You'll love my mother."

"I love you so."

They both froze. Hikaru's eyes widened as he realized what he had said and Renge stopped with her wine glass barely pressed against her lips. Slowly she lowered it, barely breathing as she placed the glass upon the table. "You… love me?"

Sixteen dates. They had gone on sixteen dates and months had passed since she had first brought him back into her home on the day she found him at Kaoru's grave. They had been together intimately more times than she could count on one hand and she had planned this particular dinner date with the intention to ask him to be her official boyfriend… but never had she imagined the word love would fall from his lips. Not yet. Not this soon. And her heart had never felt more full.

"Don't make it more than it is." He sighed, his normal uncaring attitude starting to seep through as a defense mechanism. He hadn't meant for those words to slip.

Renge pushed back her chair, rising to her feet.

"I didn't mean to upset you." He frowned, pushing his own chair back. He was just about to rise to his feet to try to persuade her to sit back down and finish their meal when Renge moved. She moved with purpose, dropping herself gently down into his lap and placed her hands upon the side of his features.

"I love you, too." She whispered, closing the distance between them and kissing him deeply.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven:**

The wind was blowing, chilling him to his very core. It had been a long time since he had found the courage to make this trip and even longer since he had known what to say. But today was different. Hikaru no longer felt like he was trapped in the darkness or that he was drowning. The overly obnoxious girl who would not get out of her own way had made his life whole again.

A light smile crossed over his thin lips at the mere thought of Renge, his heart giving an extra beat. He couldn't be sure exactly what was happening to him, but he knew that he wanted to continue to feel the way he felt now for as long as he possibly could.

The gate to the temple squeaked open as Hikaru pushed it aside and entered the long concrete walkway. It had been months since he had been here and yet it felt just like yesterday. Part of him had wondered if Kaoru would hate him for his less frequent visits, but a deeper part of his soul knew his brother would forgive him. Kaoru had always been the kinder brother, the one with the most common sense.

When he finally reached the familiar tomb, Hikaru bowed respectfully before lowering himself down to his knees before his brother's final resting place. "Hello Kaoru."

The wind blew through him again, but this time it was warmer and more comforting. It was as if his brother was welcoming him back to this place of peace and remembrance.

"I know it's been a long time since I've been here and I'm sorry. I should come more often, lord knows you probably need the attention." He quipped, the corners of his lips pulling up in a light smile. "I haven't had much to say and I've been preoccupied... With Renge."

He paused, closing his eyes and smiling lightly at the memories of his last couple of months with Renge flooded his memories.

"I know what you're going to say." He could practically hear his brother's incredulous tone as he questioned Hikaru's sanity. "But she isn't anything like what we made her out to be. She's annoying sometimes, and strong willed and dead set on having things her way. That much was true. But there is so much more to her as well. She's smart and funny and kind and caring. She doesn't ask too much of me but pushes in her own way. She understands how hard all of this was for me."

He glanced at the words still etched into the stone, his heart lurching slightly. "She's a lot like you, actually." He continued to explain. "She reminds me of you more than you would know and in some sick and twisted way, maybe that is why I fell for her. Maybe it's because she gave me a piece of you that I thought I had lost or maybe its just because she is _amazing._ "

He didn't need to overthink it, he knew how he felt and he knew that those feelings were not going to go away any time soon. Renge had brought out a life in him he thought had been extinguished along with his brother. "She's made me better. Forced me out of the darkness and back into the light and I love her."

No sooner were the words out of his mouth, honestly this time and not on accident, it felt as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. "I didn't think I would ever be able to love someone again. Losing you was too hard; it took something from me that I thought would be gone forever. I never thought I would be able to let anyone into my heart again. I was sure the only way I could keep on living in this fucked up world was to pretend I was above it all and to convince myself I would never need anyone again."

He took a deep steadying breath. "But I don't think I can be without her anymore. I think what I really needed was someone to convince me I was going to be okay. I needed to know that I could go on living because you forgave me for all the mistakes that were made."

Again the wind blew through him, what he took to be a sign of his brother's forgiveness.

"I'm taking her out on another date tonight. We're planning a trip to go to Paris and see her family. But that's not the only reason I'm here." A brighter smile captured his lips. "We're going to be big brothers, you see."

His mother had invited him over for dinner just a couple of nights before and had revealed the big news. She was expecting another baby and, if the doctors were to be believed, they were going to be having a little girl. Hikaru and Kaoru had never quite grown up themselves, but he had always wondered what it would be like to have a little version of themselves running around. Someone to dress up and coddle and love unconditionally.

Kaoru would have loved the idea.

"Mother is pregnant and she's going to be having a baby girl in a couple of months, a little sister. But don't worry. I'll tell her all about you. I'll teach her all of the games we played together and all of the tricks we pulled on our parents. She's going to love you, even if she has to wait her whole life to meet you." He could feel it, the sadness weighing on the edges of his heart.

What had been meant to be a happy conversation was suddenly turning dark. "I'm so sorry, Kaoru." The tears were rimming his eyes now. "I'm so sorry that you'll never get to meet our baby sister. I'm so sorry that you'll never fall in love or get married or have children of your own. I'm so sorry that I'm continuing on with my life when I should be here beside you."

He took a shuddering breath, brushing the tears from his eyes. "But no matter how sorry I am, I can't change the past and I know now more than ever you would never want me to be unhappy. So I'm going to be honest. I'm going to tell her how much I love her. I'm going to give her every part of my shattered soul and I'm going to honor your memory every step of the way."

Slowly he rose to his feet, bowing gently before the tomb in respect before placing his hand upon its edge. "I'll be back in a few weeks to keep you updated on it all." He promised, turning his back on his brother's grave.

 _See you soon, Kaoru._


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve:**

"You look beautiful." Renge gushed, brushing her fingers through Haruhi's soft brown hair. "I can't believe Tamaki made it through the entire ceremony without passing out."

Haruhi laughed, glancing across the elaborately decorated ballroom to where her now husband stood amid a group of his groomsmen. Hikaru, Honey, Mori and Kyoya had all dressed up for the occasion, matching Haruhi's bridesmaids of Renge, Mei, Reiko, and Kanako. "He did hold himself together pretty well."

"What are you ladies talking about over here?" Kyoya asked, having excused himself from the group of men and dropping himself into a chair beside the bride.

"My husband." Haruhi flushed, the words feeling foreign upon her lips as she patted flat the fabric of her giant dress. The boys had insisted on dressing her like a princess and there was so much fabric to her dress he was sure at some point she would fall over. Lord help her if she decided she needed to pee.

"I saw this coming, you know." He smirked slightly, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "I think I really accepted it on the day you raced after him all those years ago."

"The day of the Ouran faire?" She asked, her flush dying slightly. She could remember how determined she was to rescue him, to take him back to Ouran where he really belonged. It had never been an option, giving up on him. Tamaki was a part of her as he was a part of all of them. Saving him had been the only reasonable option.

"You loved him." Kyoya stated simply.

"I think I've always loved him." She breathed, her eyes focused in on her husband's carefree form as he fluttered from guest to guest. Tamaki was in his element here, always the happiest when he had a party to throw and people to entertain. Every so often his eyes would meet hers and they would share a knowing glance. Their hearts were now tied together for eternity.

"Renge?"

"Hnn?" The girl spoke, her gaze lifting from the plate of food she was nibbling at to the Shadow King.

"I think you should go check on Hikaru. Maybe he'd like to dance." Kyoya offered, shrugging as if he didn't care.

"Hika? Dance?" Renge laughed aloud. "I don't think so. He's not one for showing off his dancing skills in public." She teased, but something about the look on Kyoya's face silenced her giggling. "Is something wrong?"

Again Kyoya shrugged, feigning disinterest. "He's been over near the table for a long while."

All three pairs of eyes skirted across the ballroom to a table not far from where they sat now. It had been Ranka's idea to have a small table set up for their lost loved ones. Pictures of the people they had cared most for who no longer physically existed in their lives to bring their little family together. There was a picture of Haruhi's mother; the same one Tamaki had paid homage to on their first visit to her home. There was also a picture of both sets of her grandparents. There was a picture of Tamaki's grandfather, the only grandparent he had lost. But the one that interested Hikaru the most, was the picture of Kaoru.

From their spot at the bride's table, it was easy to tell that Hikaru had lost himself. He stood just before the picture of his brother, hands tucked into the pockets of his tuxedo jacket, just staring. Both Haruhi and Renge felt their hearts drop.

"You should go check on him." Haruhi spoke sadly, placing a gentle hand upon Renge's arm.

"Hnn." The girl agreed, putting down her utensils and rising to her feet. For a brief moment she hesitated, brushing off the fabric of the blue bridesmaid dress that Haruhi had chosen for her, running her fingers across the soft up do the hairdresser had created.

"Go." Haruhi nudged, pushing her by the small of her back gently.

Nodding again, Renge moved, crossing the ballroom with a beautiful grace that only came from a rich upbringing.

"Do you think he's ever going to be okay again?" Haruhi asked, leaning slightly into Kyoya as she rested her head against his shoulder.

"I don't know…" He answered truthfully as they watched their friends from a distance.

 _ **Xxx Hikaru xxX**_

He stared down at the picture with a mixture of sorrow and relief. As much as he missed his brother, it would be foolish to believe that Kaoru wasn't here with them in some way. It was obvious to him the moment Haruhi emerged in the temple wearing the blindingly beautiful wedding dress the boys had created for her. The dress had been made years before she had decided to marry anyone; it was more of a type of busy work for the twins. They had created more clothing for Haruhi, clothing they weren't even sure she would ever wear.

But she looked beautiful in the dress. Kaoru would have loved it.

He breathed out a heavy sigh, hanging his head slightly. _What I wouldn't do to have you here today, Kaoru._ He thought, holding back the sorrow that flooded through him.

A pair of slender arms wrapped their way around his waist, the warmth of a cheek pressing against his shoulder blade. "Hey."

Just her voice seemed to warm him from the inside out, her natural scent mixing with the perfume she had chosen for the night. "Hey." He whispered back, unmoving.

"Haruhi and Kyoya are worried about you." She spoke, holding him a little tighter. "I was, too."

"I'm fine." He spoke, not bothering to force a smile. "I was just thinking about how proud Kaoru would have been to see Haruhi in his dress."

" _Your dress._ " Renge corrected. "You two made it together. It's beautiful and he would have loved it on her."

"Hnn." The boy agreed, pulling his hands from his pockets before turning in her arms. Almost instinctively he wrapped himself around her, holding her in a gentle embrace. "Sorry. I lost myself there for a moment."

"It's okay." She whispered, pressing her cheek gently against his chest as she held tightly to him. "I miss him, too. But this is a happy day. Kaoru would want us all to be happy and to have fun. Tamaki and Haruhi got married! Who would have guessed it?" She teased, laughing slightly in an attempt to lighten the mood.

Hikaru smiled lightly. "Thanks, Renge."

"You know," she smiled coyly, stepping a half a step back from the boy. " _I'm_ not happy at all."

His bow furrowed in confusion. "You're not?"

"Nope!" She smirked. "We've been at this reception for over an hour and my boyfriend hasn't asked me to dance once."

Hikaru rolled his eyes. "What a lousy boyfriend."

"I know!" She giggled lightly. "I'm starting to think I'll have to ask someone else to dance with me instead. Maybe Mori will say yes." She teased, placing a finger against her cheek as if honestly contemplating the idea.

"It would probably drive your boyfriend crazy with jealousy." He teased her right back. "Or, maybe you could dance with me instead?"

Renge seemed to glow with excitement, their childish teasing bringing out a side of her that Hikaru loved. The side that reminded him what he still had to live for. "That would make him red with envy!"

Hikaru rolled his eyes. "I think you mean _green with envy._ But who am I to judge?" He teased, winking at her playfully.

"As long as he's jealous, I'm happy. That means he still loves me." She smirked.

"May I have this dance?" He asked, holding out a hand to her.

"You may." She grinned, taking his hand and allowing him to lead her out onto the dance floor amid all of their friends. Even Kyoya and Haruhi had joined the dancing, much to Tamaki's displeasure. The two spun around in delicate swirls with her jealous husband tottering around demanding she only dance with him.

"See?" Renge teased as Hikaru began to twirl her around the floor. "Boys do get jealous when their girlfriends dance with other men."

Hikaru snorted. "That's his wife now, remember?"

"It's the same principle." She stuck her tongue out at him as he pulled her closer to him, their bodies pressed together as they swayed. Gently she laid her head upon his shoulder, listening to the music and the beating of his heart as they moved in perfect harmony together.

"Thanks for getting me out of my head, Renge." He whispered, pressing his chin gently against the top of her head, breathing in her calming scent. She said nothing, a small smile crossing over her lips.

After what seemed like forever, the song changed, drifting into a more upbeat melody. One not meant for slow one on one dancing, but still the two swayed, unaware of their changing environment. "I love you." He finally breathed, a barely audible whisper.

Her breath caught in her chest, the first time he had spoken those words since he accidentally slipped in her kitchen that night. "I love you, too."

 _ **Xxx Tamaki and Haruhi xxX**_

She leaned her head against his shoulder, almost succumbing to the exhaustion as he held her in the back seat of their limo. "What a night." She breathed, closing her eyes and relaxing to the steady movement of the vehicle.

"Have I told you yet how beautiful you look?" Tamaki asked, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

"About six million times." She teased, turning her head just enough to press a gentle kiss to his neck. "I can't believe we're married." She mused, her lips pulling up into a slight smile. "I can't believe I had that much fun at a wedding."

"At least it wasn't just the fancy tuna you enjoyed." He teased her.

"Do you think everyone had a good time?" She asked, once again returning to a more comfortable position.

"Hnn." He agreed.

"Even Hikaru?" She asked, nibbling on her bottom lip lightly. "He looked so carefree when Renge finally got him out onto the dance floor."

"I think he had fun." Tamaki agreed.

"You don't think it was too much? You don't think we hurt him by putting out that picture of Kaoru, do you?" She asked nervously.

Tamaki shook his head. "No. We all miss Kaoru, but not having him with us tonight would have felt wrong."

Haruhi smiled lightly again. "I agree…" The two sat in silence for a long moment before Haruhi finally spoke again. "Hey Senpai?"

"Hnn?"

"I'm your wife now, you know." She grinned, her excitement hanging thick on the air.

"And I thought I was supposed to be the overly excited one." He teased, tilting her chin up so that he could capture her lips with his.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen:**

He hadn't realized that one little piece of metal could be so heavy or that by creating it he would be adding so much stress and anxiety to his life. As Hikaru stared down at the glittering silver within his palm, he could feel the sweat gathering at the back of his neck and the twisting sensation that fluttered through his gut. Never had he been more anxious in all of his life.

And he hadn't even asked her to move in yet.

"Hika?"

The sound of her voice startled him out of his innermost thoughts, causing him to jump slightly as he hastily tossed the small key into his pocket. "Yeah, in the kitchen!" He called, nervously trying to make himself look busy. Who was he kidding anyway? Hikaru didn't cook.

Renge seemed to notice that oddity right away, her eyebrow peaked as she entered the kitchen and placed her bag upon the counter. "You're up to something." She immediately accused.

"Up to something?" He asked, his voice a little too high pitched. "What makes you think I'm up to something?"

Renge scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest. "The fact that you're in the kitchen, for one, and the fact that you're voice sounds more like a pre-pubescent boy than my boyfriend, for two."

Hikaru rolled his eyes, leaning back against the counter in what he hoped would be a nonchalant fashion. "Cant a guy take interest in food?"

This time Renge actually laughed. "Yeah, _normal_ guys. You? Not so much." She crossed the kitchen with an ethereal grace, leaning up and placing a chaste kiss upon his lips. "Are you going to tell me what you're up to now or not?"

Hikaru huffed, his hand still tucked in his pocket and his fingers wrapped around the small key so tightly his knuckles were turning white. "I have something for you."

"A present?" His girlfriend brightened immediately. While Renge had many redeeming qualities, it was evident to anyone who had ever met her that Renge balanced precariously on the materialistic line. The easiest way to please her was with wrapping paper and gift bags. "What is it?"

"Do you love me?" He asked, feeling his heart ache slightly at the mere thought of receiving a no.

"Of course I love you, stupid. What kind of question is that? And before you ask, no I don't just love you because you have a gift for me." She smirked, seemingly pleased with herself and her answer.

"How much do you love me?" He asked, narrowing his eyes as he tried to find a reason not to move their relationship forward. If he was being completely honest with himself, Hikaru was scared. He had grown so close to Renge over the last few months, much closer than he had ever expected to grow with another person. He had never felt so attached to anyone except for maybe his brother. And he had consulted with his brother many times over the last week. Every morning he had ventured out to Kaoru's grave and spent at least an hour conversing with his brother. He ran through every argument, every insecurity, and still he could find no reason to stop the natural progression of his relationship. He was merely scared.

The revelation had come to him the night before, right before he went to the locksmith and had the new key created. The root of all of Hikaru's fears was loss. He had been so connected to his brother and in an instant he had been ripped away from him. Getting close to Renge gave her the ability to hurt him on a deeper level. If something were to happen to her or if she were to decide she didn't want to be with him anymore, he wasn't sure he would be able to recover from that. Giving her the key to his house was like placing a loaded gun in her hand and expecting her not to pull the trigger.

"I love you more than anything in the world. If the last few months haven't taught you that, I'm clearly doing something wrong." She teased, placing a gentle hand upon his arm. "What's wrong, Hikaru?"

He shook his head, taking a deep and unsteady breath as he pulled his hands from his pocket. Gently he stroked her cheek with his empty hand, taking a moment to allow the feel of her soft skin ease his anxiety. There was something about the heat that radiated off her body and the scent of her lilac perfume that eased the boy in a way he had never been eased before. "I don't know what I would have done over these last few months without you. Especially the last four since Haruhi and Tamaki's wedding. You've been there for me through everything and I feel like it's time to take our relationship to the next step."

"The next step?" She asked anxiously, her eyes wide as saucers. He could see the way she breathed shakily, her own anxiety evident on her soft features.

"Hnn." He nodded, opening up his hand to reveal the little silver key. "I want you to move in with me, Renge. I mean you practically live here anyway so what would be different between what we do now and you moving your stuff in so that you don't have to go home so often?"

"No difference at all." She beamed, lightening immediately.

"So yeah. Here's your key." He grumbled, a dark blush crossing over his features as he placed the little silver key in her hand.

"But Hika," she giggled. "You already gave me a key to your place, remember?" She asked, lifting the chain that hung around her neck, holding the small copper key to his home.

"Yeah, but this one is symbolic or something." He huffed, narrowing his eyes and daring her to argue with him. Haruhi had been his go to for all things related to Renge and keeping her happy. It had been Haruhi who suggested he make the grand gesture of creating another key and asking her officially to move in with him. _She's a sucker for those sorts of things, you know._ Had been her biggest argument on the case "But if you don't like it, fine. I'll keep it as a spare."

"No!" She yelled, a little too loudly as she clutched the new key to her chest. "I love it. I want it. I'm keeping it." She demanded like a petulant child, sticking her tongue out at him.

Hikaru chuckled, reaching out and pushing her chin up forcing her tongue back into her mouth. "Fine, it's yours."

"You know what this means, right?" She asked, smiling sheepishly up at him.

"What?"

"You get to move all of my stuff for me." She smirked, dancing out of his grasp and marveling at her new key.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_

Hello, hello! I owe you all a huge apology for my absence over the last couple of months. If you read any of my other stories, you've already seen that I had quite a few big changes in my life since the holidays. I totaled my car, lost my job, got a new job and a new boyfriend. The boyfriend more than anything has been distracting me from updating these stories.

The good news?

I got a new job! And that new job is completely computer based. AND! When I don't have any work to do? My managers are totally okay with me writing and posting my chapters up for all you lovelies to read. This means? UPDATES! Lots of them and more frequently.

The bad news?

There are only two more chapters before this story is over... So bare with me and I hope you continue to enjoy the end of our journey.

All my love; Kaasuten


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen**

 _Two Years Later_

"You need to breathe." Tamaki chastised, clapping a hand down upon Hikaru's back. The normally irate and stoic boy now held a bouncing two year old on his hip, nervously glancing around the room. Tamaki's son was small, but he sure wasn't light.

"Take your kid." Hikaru huffed, passing the dark haired and violet eyed boy to his father. "He's heavy."

"Uncle Hika doesn't mean that." Tamaki soothed, placing the small baby down in the pack and play that sat in the middle of the room. "You're more than your normal irritable today."

"Shut up, will ya?" Hikaru breathed, tossing himself onto the couch and breathing out a sigh. "You don't get to tease me. Not today."

Tamaki shrugged his shoulders with a knowing smirk. "Just try to relax, will you?"

"Are you really telling Hikaru to relax?"

Both boys turned to where Haruhi was standing in the doorway, arms crossed over her chest and her knowing smirk matching that of her husbands.

"I tried to tell him he had a death wish today." Hikaru snorted a laugh. "He compromised by giving me the brat."

Haruhi feigned insult. "Don't you call Kaoru a brat." Gently she reached into the pack and play, taking the small baby into her arms. "Everything is ready. So get your butt moving."

Breathing a heavy sigh, Hikaru forced himself to his feet, nervously nibbling away at his bottom lip as he followed Haruhi and her small family out of the room they had been waiting in. People gathered from every aspect of his life. Work, Ouran, his family. Everyone knew how significant this day was, everyone knew it was Hikaru's last goodbye to the life he had once imagined living with his brother. If he was being brutally honest, he had never really considered ever having independence. He always imagined that he and Kaoru would live their own little lives together forever. Haruhi was the closest thing they had ever let into their lives.

But now she had her own family and her own son named after his long lost brother.

Hikaru was finally finding peace.

"How are you holding up?" Tamaki asked, smiling comfortingly at his friend as they waited for the event to begin.

"Nervous." Hikaru admitted honestly.

"Don't be. You're making the right decision and after all of this fanfare, when everything is said and done, you're going to be happier for it." Tamaki reassured him.

"Happiness is the end goal."

"You deserve this." Tamaki reassured again. "You deserve to be happy and you deserve to move on. I'm not saying forget him. Honestly I don't think any of us could if we wanted to." This was evident from their child's name and from the pictures of Kaoru that littered every house of every member of the Host Club. He was a part of them, gone or not.

"I just feel like he should be here. I feel like something is missing." Hikaru admitted.

"He's here, Hikaru."

Hikaru took a deep breath as he turned from Tamaki to face his mother. She looked like she had been crying, but he couldn't tell for sure. She was always so poised and perfected. His little sister balanced carefully on her hip. "Hi Mama. Hello Sumi." He reached in, nuzzling his nose against his baby sisters. She giggled in glee and tugged on a lock of his orange hair.

"We are so proud of you, baby." His mother smiled, leaning in and placing a kiss upon his cheek. "You're doing so well. I know this is hard and I know you wish Kaoru was here… but he is. He's always with you." She paused, staring into his eyes for what seemed like an eternity, before finally seeming to catch herself. "Alright! That's enough sappiness for one day. We'll just go find our seats." Again she leaned in and kissed his cheek.

"Hika!" Sumi called, smiling brightly as she tapped her brothers face.

He was a lucky man. Even in the darkest of times he had the strongest support system a man could ask for. His friends were always there for him when he needed them. His family had made do with their losses and had become stronger for it. Haruhi and Tamaki's son was like a little brother to him, and he cared for him deeply. He was gifted with a beautiful baby sister to raise to be a little hellion like he and his brother had been. And he had Renge. She was beautiful and loving and kind and everything he never knew he needed in life. She kept him strong and kept him moving forward when he felt he couldn't go on.

"It's just about time. Are you sure you're ready for this?" Tamaki smirked.

"As ready as I'll ever be… Have you seen Renge yet?" Hikaru asked.

Tamaki's smirk eased into a smile. "I bumped into her on my way in to see you earlier. She told me to pass on a message."

"Oh?" Hikaru smiled, already sure his girlfriend had come up with something witty and wonderful to get him through his nerves.

"She said… You better start drooling when you see her…"

The music started playing, distracting both boys from their private conversation. Tamaki leaned closer, adjusting the lapels of Hikaru's tuxedo and whispering to his friend. "She also said she'll be the one in white."

Hikaru laughed as the doors at the end of the temple opened… and in stepped his bride.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** There's only one more chapter to this story! It's all going by so quickly! I hope you all continue to enjoy as we reach the end.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter Fifteen:**

Years had passed since his world pulled together and, despite himself, Hikaru had found his way to a blinding happiness he never would have thought was possible. He had battled his demons in the pits of hell and come out stronger for it. Despite all the terrible things that had happened during his first twenty years on this earth, he honestly believed he was lucky. Life had been cruel, but it had also been kind.

Glancing across the living room, he met the gaze of his loving wife. She was still as beautiful as she had been in her youth. She was slender and pale with gorgeous flowing locks framing her face like a halo. There were small laughter and worry lines creasing her face from years of a life well lived but they only made her look more beautiful. Renge had aged wonderfully and he was more in love with her now than he ever had been before.

Someone screamed in what he assumed was frustration, dragging his eyes from his beautiful wife to the small children playing in the middle of the living room. Kaoru had been coming over more often to help take care of the other kids. Even though he was eight now and still a child himself he took after his mother a bit too much. He was a care giver, a lover, a worrier. While he had many of Tamaki's carefree traits, he was still very much Haruhi's child. The screamer in question was Masuyo, Mei and Takashi's child. She was very much like her mother, obstinate and demanding and she hated having to share. The smallest and last of the three children playing in his living room was Asuna. She sat, rolling backwards in disinterest as she sucked away on a pale pink pacifier. Barely six months old she was the most well behaved baby Hikaru had ever met.

And he was proud to call her his daughter.

He had never imagined what his life would be like after his brother's death. In fact, the loss of Kaoru should have stopped his life in his tracks. They were two people bonded in a way that had always made them one. How he could have possibly moved on with his life without his brother was beyond him. But life had continued. He had persevered. And he had been blessed with the best friends, the most loving wife, and the prettiest daughter he had ever laid eyes on.

"The rest of the Hosts should be here soon." Renge spoke, cutting through his inner most thoughts and summoning him back to the here and now.

As if on cue, the front door burst open. In bounded their blonde haired leader, ushering a pack of familiar faces into his living room. Immediately his home was alive with the sound of laughter and old friends, new babies and more love than he had ever imagined was possible.

Asuna was already in Haruhi's arms, being cooed over by her aunts and even a few of her uncles as they came together as they did every Friday night. The Host Club, eternal and together forever. They had spent their lives united and he had no doubt they would continue to grow together for the rest of their lives.

For at the end of the day, they were a family… Always.

 _ **The End**_

* * *

 _ **Author's Notes:**_ Well this has been a journey! I'm so relieved this is finally over but I'm also incredibly sad. It was tough deciding which directions to take Hikaru's life. But I'm very glad you all joined me on this journey. I hope you continue to read my stories and follow me along on his wild goose chase I call my writing inspiration.

Let me know if you have anything you'd like to see written. Other wise, keep a look out as there will be another OHSHC fanfic coming from me soon.

All my love, always; Kaas


End file.
